The Five Senses of Direct Mail. Whoda Thunk It?

Direct mail can now deliver sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. That’s all five of the human senses. And guess what? So far, mail is the only marketing medium that can do all that. Likely, for the next few years anyway, direct mail will remain — and vastly improve upon — this full sensory capability.

Sight. Well, that’s what direct mail has always been. Something to look at, something to read. Even in its most simple form, direct mail can be amazingly effective. Consider this simple sampler from GEICO.

Smell. The Scent Marketing Institute was founded in 2004, but today the organization sponsors ScentWorld, a worldwide conference coming up February 6-8 in New York City. The organization’s “knowledge base” features 160+ articles related to the use of scent in marketing. Check out a few case examples of scented direct mail here. Meanwhile, technology buffs should check out this story about a scent-capturing printer that recognizes odors and translates them onto a tangible postcard paper.

Touch. Embossing, irregular shapes, dye cuts, glued on items (magnets, tea bags, coins) metallic finishes, and other “feel-me” attributes give direct mail a touch-me dimension. Set up as a division of ImageWorks Manufacturing in 2003, Shipshapes is just one of the companies that is seeking to refine direct mail touch.

How about some case studies of sensory direct mail? Check out Deliver magazines’s article from last fall, which featured TruGreen Lawn Care’s use of a scented postcard or a political candidate’s use of “old garbage” to demonstrate something “stinky;”

And then there are the sensual combinations. Video first appeared on the printed page in an issue of Entertainment Weekly back in 2009. No, it’s not cheap and it may not be in wide use (yet). But if you’re into direct mail professionally, you know video is an option right now from technology partners Chicago’s Fusion92.

Right now, are American consumers ready for their sensory experiences via direct mail? So far, maybe not so much. But as augmented reality delivers more ways to experience print, the appetites should grow.

6 thoughts on “The Five Senses of Direct Mail. Whoda Thunk It?”

Only five great sensory thoughts?
How about two more senses that direct mail delivers?
Don’t forget the kenesthtic sense, the sense of movement, such as the die-cut zipper delivers to recipients ripping open a self-mailer.
How about the irresistable desire to liberate a die-cut element and insert it into a slot or open a perfed window to reveal a hidden message?
(Yes, they could be sub-sets of touch and sight, but are worth mentioning.)
Everyone has a mail box and checks it every day, so creative direct mail will rule when it comes time to stand out in the marketplace!
Keep up the good work.

Thanks so much, Robert. Great fodder for driving and showering, huh? 😉

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The Digital Nirvana blog provides insight on how evolving marketing and print technologies can fuel opportunities for business growth. Featuring compelling authors, prominent industry analysts and other thought leaders, the blog is a catalyst for a lively exchange of the most current thinking and a variety of viewpoints. The Digital Nirvana is a partnership between WhatTheyThink & Canon Solutions America.